Nursing bottle valve



June 8, 1943. v PARKlN NURSING BOTTLE VALVE Filed NOV. 19, 1940 Patented June a, 1943 UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE 7 The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a nursing bottle valve of comparatively simple and inexpensive form which will prevent collapsing of the nipple and insure that the liquid contents will flow easily and imiiormly responsive to the normal feeding eil'ort of the child, and that no leakage will occur at the valve at any time.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a nursing bottle valve of the character described which is disposed interiorly of the bottle for the most put ii. not entirely so as to avoid an outward projection on the walls of the bottle as well as any interference with the gripping or holding of the bottle by the child, or interference with the valve .by the child, said valve being designed to function even when the fingers or hand of the child overlie it.

Another purpose hereof is to provide a valve of the character described which will be sanitary and need not be removed when the bottle is sterilized.

- Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide a novel exceptionally small, simple and inexpensive valve such as described which may take the form of a plug insertable in a simple opening in a wall of the bottle, or may be can-led in the nipple or formed as an integral part of the nipple; said valve having a vent adjacent its inner end, a passage in commlmication at one end with the atmosphere and leading to the vent and a normally closed valve member which responds to atmospheric pressure to open the vent and provides communication between the interior of the bottle and the atmosphere when sub-atmospheric pressure is created in the bottle as during a nursing operation.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention is carried into effect as illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a v nursing bottle embodying nu invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2:

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view partly in section of a variational form of valve embodying my invention;

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sections taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of another form of my invention.

Referring more specifically to the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of my invention asshowninFigs.1,2and3,generallycomprises a conventional nursing bottle 5, a nipple ifittedthereomasmalldrcularopcninglina side wall 8 near the closed end of the bottle and avalveAoIspecialdeslgnflttcdinsa-id openmg '1 he valveshowninFigs.1,2and3isinthe form of a cylindrical plug-like body 9 having an axialpasage l'extendingiromtheouterend thereoftoapointnearitsinnerend,whichlatterisreduced andformwithacircmnferential groove II. This reduced end is provided with one or more vent openings [2 which extend through the groove and the body transversely and register with the inner end of passage II. An annular or tubular valve band l3 of thin softrubberorthelikesun-olmdsthereducedend zooi'thehodysinthegroove ll underlight tension normally closes the vents I2, said band being heldinplacebythegroove. This valve band is of such form andnature thatit will be forced outwardly from and open the vents responsive to the application of atmospheric pressure thereto through the passage I8 and vents, when a sub-atmospheric presure is created in the bottle as during a nursing operation. This action of the tensioned valve permits atmospheric air to enter the bottle and thereby insure a steady flow of liquid through the nipple, and' also prevents collapse of the nipple in that a vacuum in the bottle is prevented by this acti0n.

35 If desired the valve body 9 may be provided with an annular flange ll at its outer end, for overlying the wall 8 and margin-of the opening I. This flange is flat and slightly rounded at its outer periphery so as to providea smooth flat surface at the outer end of the valve, and hasbut aslightprotrusionfromthewalll. The

both 9 is compressed and tensioned and thereby" frictionally held in place when inserted in the opening I.

I may provide in the flange II a plurality of radial grooves l5 arranged to insure communicationoftheouterendofthepmage llwith the atmosphere should the outer end of the valve he covered by the hand or fingers of the child.

It is now apparent that I have provided an exceptionally small and eflicient valve which, like aplug,maybereadilyinsertedinanopeningin anursinghottlesuchwtheopcning'lhereprovided or any other opening, whereby to create 55 an improved nursing bottle in accordance with nursing nipple i! so as to extend with the neck of a bottle I! as best shown inFig. 4.

The valve B has a body I! and a flange or head 2| through which a passage 2| extends. A plurality of openings 2| are provided in the flange to permit liquid to flow pastthe valve assemblyandthrough the nipple during a nursing operation. The passage 2|- opens through a vent 22 in a side of the body, into the neck of the bottle while the outer end of the passage registers with a vent opening 23 in the side of the nipple whereby atmospheric air may enter the bottle.

The flange 23 is in frictional contact with the nipple to retain the valve in place and may be formed with a circumferential groove 24 to insure registration of the passage 2| with the atmosphere vent 23 in the nipple.

The inner end of the valve body I9 is provided with a circumferential groove 25 in which is mounted a band flapvalve 26 of rubber identical with the band valve l3 both as to, structure and action. The valve 26 wil1 normally close the pas sage 2| but will open under atmospheric pressure, when a sub-atmospheric pressure is attained in the bottle, in the same manner as valve It is seen that this form of valve is advantageous as it does not requlre'forming an extra opening in the bottle. Thevalve remains in the nipple and is removed and replaced as a part thereof but may be removed from the nipple when desired for cleaning or other purposes. If desired the nipple may be formed with an annular shoulder 21 interiorly thereof for holding the valve B in proper position in the nipple as best shown in Fig. 4. The valve assembly B may be made of plastic or any other suitable material except for the soft rubber valve band 26.

With reference to the modified form of valve shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 it is seen that the valve 'is operatively associated with and extends into the bottle although carried by the nipple, and operates in the same manner as the valve A shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

Another modified form of my invention as shown in Fig. 7 takes into consideration the mounting and supporting of a valve assembly C on the interior of a side wall of a nipple 30 for introducing air into the bottle 3| in,the same manner as the valves A and B shown in Figs. 1 and 4 respectively. Valve assembly C as here shown may if desired have its body 32 formed integrally with the nipple and be provided with a passage 33 opening atits inner end as at 34 interiorly of the nipple and opening at its outer end through'the nipple as at 35 to the atmosphere. In a circumferential groove 36 in the body 32 is a rubber or similar elastic band valve 31 which normally closes the passage 33 but opens under atmospheric pressure to admit air into the nipple and bottle during a nursing operation in the same manner as the valves hereinbefore described.

I claim:

In a valve, a body 1aterally enlarged at one end to form a head having a passage extending inwardly from the periphery thereof then I through the smaller portion of the body, said passage opening on one side of'the smaller body portion'and a flat rubber band valve surrounding the said smaller'body portion and normally closing the end of the passage which opens on the side of said smaller body portion and adapted .to yield to differential pressures on opposite sides thereof to permit air to flow past either edge thereof, said head having an opening therethrough at one side of the smaller body portion and being .provided with a circumferential groove in the periphery thereof into which groovesaid passage opens. 1

VICTOR PARKIN. 

